Molding Clay
by jrd5497
Summary: An on-going series following Yang after the end of Vol. 2
1. Chapter 1

Yang threw punches harder and harder. The sweat dripped down her body. The tallish blonde caught more attention than usual. If it wasn't her body in her tight workout uniform that consisted mostly of black yoga shorts and a yellow sports bra, plus her signature boots that caught people's eye, it was the punches she was delivering to the bag. Most people stopped and stared at her. While Yang was well known to be the best fighter in the gym, she never usually trained this hard. Her punches on the bag moved almost the whole thing and the only noise in the gym were her grunts and the thud of her punches landing. With a final blow, she destroyed the bag, sending half of the sand filled canvas into the wall, and leaving the other half hanging.

"Strength isn't why she beat you" came the male voice behind her.

Yang knew the voice well. It was the voice of her mentor, Lee. Ruby had Qrow, but Yang had learned to fight in a little back-alley gym that she'd wandered into one day.

"I know" Yang said quietly.

"That's the third bag of mine you've broken this week" Lee said sternly, but with a light-heart.

"Sorry" said Yang, looking at the ground.

"Well, I'm just glad you aren't practicing on my students" Lee grinned, "C'mon. Let's go get something to eat and then we can discuss how many lessons you have to give in order to pay me back."

The two walked to a local diner, one of Yang's favorite places. An old photograph hung on the wall. It was a photo of Lee, holding the world heavyweight boxing championship belt. Lee had been one of the greatest boxers in the world and undoubtedly the best boxer in Vale. He took on Yang as a student after she walked in to his gym and wouldn't take no for an answer. Lee taught her to throw a punch. She began sparring with boys her age in the ring at Lee's gym. No one could beat her. Even as a child her semblance helped her. She could take a punch and give it right back. Usually driving the other students half-way across the ring.

Upon ordering, Yang noticed a something move out of the corner of her eye. Something pink and brown. She immediately jumped up and loaded Ember Cecilia. The waitress, startled, almost threw the Neapolitan ice cream on Yang. The restaurant stopped and stared. Lee quickly jumped up.

"She's terribly sorry. We'll just be leaving." Lee said, slipping the waitress a twenty.

They walked in silence until Lee finally said, "I've seen that reaction before. That drive. That stare."

"Oh yeah?" Yang replied bitterly.

"People who have been mugged, or assaulted, who have lost their sense of security, they get that stare. They think that strength alone will make them no longer a victim. They train until they think their strong enough, then they never come back. You want to get stronger, but in the back of your mind, you know it won't help. She didn't beat you because you weren't strong enough." Lee replied.

"Then why did she beat me?! Huh?! Answer that! I should be dead!" Yang shouted.

"But you aren't" Lee said flatly.

Their walk had brought them back to the gym. Lee fumbled with the keys in the poorly lit alley. _He's getting old. His eye sight is getting worse _Yang thought. Finally getting the door open to the empty gym, the pair walked in together. Yang reminisced about her first time entering the gym. People stopped and stared. She walked right up to the ring. That's what she wanted to be. She wanted to be a fighter.

"She beat you because you lost control. You have always been a master in the ring because you can take hits and give them back twice as hard. That makes you a great boxer, but when your opponent does move first, you do. That's where she capitalized. She wore you out. She turned your momentum against you." Lee said walking toward the ring.

Lee continued, "I can't help you a whole lot, but I can tell you this: 'Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee'. Now you have half of that down, but you float like a lead balloon." Lee joked. "You were the best student here and beat all of your challengers because of your semblance. You took hits dead on instead of dodging them. That's great for some challengers, but for one like you fought, you need to be fluid in your assault. Her momentum is tied with your momentum in that fight. I have a very good student I'd like you to practice with. His name is Clay. He'll be here tomorrow around 4. Be here. Bring your gear."

Yang went home that night, her arms sore from the training and her body still sore from the train, from both the fight and the crash. She realized she still had homework to finish, she had to shower and still hadn't eaten all day.

Yang grabbed some fruit from the commons, ate it quickly while changing out of her workout clothing and into her robe. Yang took a slow shower, letting the hot water relax her sore and aching muscles. Upon returning to her room, she saw no one was there. Ruby was probably at the library or fine-tuning Crescent Rose. Blake and Weiss were shadowing Neptune and Sun in case they got into too much trouble as junior detectives. They'd been doing so for the past week, and Sun and Neptune still hadn't noticed. Yang smiled. Sun and Neptune were oblivious, loveable, but oblivious.

Yang looked at the stack of homework she had, and decided it could wait. Sleep could not wait though. She felt completely drained. Changing into her sleep attire, she collapsed into bed and went to sleep almost instantly.


	2. Chapter 2

Yang could hardly concentrate on her schoolwork all day. She kept her mind on her fight this afternoon. She ate her ritual pre-fight diet, consisting of oatmeal, fruit and fish. When her last class let out early she grabbed her gym bag, already packed with her gloves, mouth guard and clothes. Yang walked swiftly to the gym. She hoped to see Clay in action before they stepped in the ring together.

When she got there, the gym was eerily quiet, but she'd guessed Lee had sent the regulars home since she was fighting Clay. Lee was sitting beside the ring.

"Hello, Yang!" Lee said cheerily, "You're a little early. Clay isn't here yet, but why don't you go change and get ready and I'll let you know when he gets here."

"Alrighty" Yang said. She went back to her locker to change and prepare. She left her hair down, changed out of her boots into more appropriate shoes. She disliked not having her boots, but she was going to fight within the regulations. Yang calmed herself and taped her hands as she put on her black and yellow gloves.

After a few more minutes, Lee called and Yang left the locker room. She saw Clay standing in the ring; he had silver and red gloves, and red shorts and shoes. His skin was dark, like Fox's, but his eyes were blue like the ocean. Lee opened the ropes and Yang stepped into the ring. Clay smiled a mile wide. _I really don't want to mess that smile up_, Yang joked to herself.

"Okay you two, you're my best students. I want a fair fight. No semblances. No dust. No un-sportsman or sportswoman-conduct." Lee said. "Now if you agree, touch gloves and go to your corners."

The two touched gloves and walked back to her corner. Her nerves were calm now. She knew that she could do this. She had to win. She had to prove that she was still the fighter she's always been.

Lee rang the bell, and the two started towards each other. Each throwing test punches, gauging the other. Yang opened up on Clay with a series of jabs at his face, but they were just made to have him get his hands up. Her next punch was at his stomach. Her punch landed pretty squarely, but she felt him land a good punch on the side of her head. Her next few jabs were at his stomach, and when his hands dropped she delivered an uppercut to his jaw. He rebounded with a shot at Yang's head, this time she blocked with her shoulder, as much as she could.

Clay's next punch landed in Yang's stomach. _Ouch. Fighting without my semblance sucks. _Yang thought. Clay landed a few more good punches before Lee called the round. They both returned to their corners. Yang got a drink. _He's holding back, and so was I, but now I won't_ Yang thought.

The next round began and Yang opened up with a flurry of punches towards Clay's abdomen. Clay responded with a solid punch to Yang's head. The punch left Yang a little disoriented, but she wasn't out yet. She focused her next attack on Clay's head, hoping to land a solid KO punch but she was met with quite a few counter-punches and a blocks. Lee called that round next.

_My muscles are starting to wear out. I need to end this in this round _Yang thought.

Yang didn't hold back. She threw everything into the opening assault, and Clay took it all. Yang threw a punch at a small opening that would open up for a finishing blow. Just as her punch neared, Clay ducked his head to the right. Yang had already shifted her weight and was now off-balance from that punch.

_Not good _Yang thought.

She felt Clay's punch land on her side, and grimaced. Her hands instinctively dropped, and she knew she was in trouble. Clay's punch hit her hard in the head. He hadn't held back this time, and she could tell. Everything spun then faded to black for a second. Yang dropped to the mat. She was done.

When she opened her eyes a few seconds later Clay was standing over her. She was angry and embarrassed. She'd lost control again. Yang sat up quickly, ignoring the still spinning room and stormed off to the locker room.

After changing into a yellow hoodie and black sweatpants with her logo on them, she walked into Lee's office.

"You knew he'd beat me." Yang said angrily.

"I had my suspicions." Lee replied.

"So you thought that to make me a better fighter, you'd have me lose against your new prodigal son?" Yang asked.

"Clay's parents were killed by members of the White Fang. He was a lost soul, just like you, but he wanted to prove that he could fight, so he plans on entering the Vale tournament. I promised I would train him to beat the best, and Yang, you're the best fighter I know." Lee said.

"Second best now" Yang said quietly and bitterly.

She left without saying anything else. There was nothing else to say. She stormed out of the gym, with her bag in tow.


End file.
